Clay Marzo: Liquid Cure

[JamesSavik]

Clay Marzo: Liquid Cure

 

Clay Marzo is one of the world's most gifted surfers. Clay Marzo has Asperger's syndrome' a form of high-functioning autism. And it is only when the 20-year-old steps off of dry land and immerses himself in the water that these two statements make perfect, miraculous sense.

 

By Jonah Lehrer

Source Link

 

 

CLAY MARZO HAS BEEN WAITING ALL MORNING FOR WAVES. He's standing with his surfboard next to a NO TRESPASSING sign on the edge of a pineapple field, looking down at a remote beach on the northwest shore of Maui. There are no tourists here, because there is no sand, just a field of jagged lava rocks and a private dirt road. The tide is still too far out, so the waves are trashy. Clay hasn't said a word for more than an hour; he hasn't even moved. He's just stood in the hot tropical sun and stared silently at the sea.

 

The waiting ends a few hours later, shortly after 1 P.M., when the trade winds begin to blow. Clay furiously rubs his hands together, like a man trying to start a fire, and lets out a few guttural whoops. He then grabs his board and quickly descends the steep slope in his bare feet, motioning for me to follow him.

 

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Asperger's turns social interaction into a source of suffering. "It's like everyone else has a bucket for dealing with people," says Clay, "and I only got a cup."

_______________________________________

 

There are a few surfers in the breaks to the right, away from the rocks. Clay heads to the left, where the waves are bigger. He paddles out and starts scanning the horizon, counting the seconds between the heaving swells. After a few minutes, he abruptly turns around and points his board toward the shore. His body goes taut and he starts to push backwards. The wave is still invisible

[Aeroplane]

Cool article, though did you link it here for the writing or for the pictures?

[Rilbur]

Asperger's turns social interaction into a source of suffering. "It's like everyone else has a bucket for dealing with people," says Clay, "and I only got a cup."

 

An interesting quote, and it definitely 'fits' -- I'll have to remember it. I'm surprised at some of the things the article glossed over / didn't mention, though maybe Clay doesn't suffer from Aspergers in quite the same way I do.

 

When it comes to social interaction, most people simply intuit their way through the rules -- oh, they might need to spend some time learning about them as kids, but they can then apply them relatively easily once they've learned a few 'guide posts'. Me, I have to intellectually analyze just about everything. I do it almost automatically, trying it into my urge to revise everything to make me look better as a suppression mechanism (i. e. I think and review what I've written to make sure it's socially acceptable as a way to suppress my habit of trying to make myself look better at the cost of shading, or breaking, the truth), but I have to think my way through things. I don't simply 'understand' them. And that can lead to... real problems.

 

I don't know if the whole revisionism urge is tied into Aspergers or not; I know the one other person I've ever met who suffers from Aspergers does it to, to an even worse degree. In him, it's a lot more clearly an effort to be accepted, included, but... he's never really learned to control it (or most of his other symptoms, I swear!) whereas I have.

 

The other interesting effect of Aspergers is my tendency to associate myself with 'superiors'. I want to hang around the alpha (fe)male, for whatever reason. IRL, I've channeled this into always showing respect and courtesy to teachers, bosses, etc etc, but... it's there. And that one is a recognized symptom of Aspergers.

 

As for my personal fascination... I think I somehow channeled that into computers. But I've never had it as strongly, as powerful, as that guy!

 

I guess I'm just thankful that my Aspergers is relatively mild / I've learned to cope well. Hell, while I'm uncomfortable with actually dealing with people on a personal level, I've got charisma by the bucketload for interview type situations! (Something I suspect I gained because Aspergers made me think in terms of rules, and I got taught, hard, the 'rules' of public interaction for stuff like speeches and interviews)

 

[Toast]

This is a great post. Like it. I have been called mildly autistic. But I have been called lots of things. Maybe the world is mildly autistic. A great guy is a great guy. That is the only label I would stick someone with.

[JamesSavik]

Cool article, though did you link it here for the writing or for the pictures?

 

 

Autism seems to be on the rise and a startling number of people are dealing with Asperger's- even some here. I made the post to raise awareness of a serious difficulty than many people are struggling to cope with.

 

The pics are just an added bonus.

[Nephylim]

This is a great post. Like it. I have been called mildly autistic. But I have been called lots of things. Maybe the world is mildly autistic. A great guy is a great guy. That is the only label I would stick someone with.

 

 

I absolutely agree. All the forums I inhabit are littered with my rants about labelling. Although sometimes it can be useful... for example as a matter of personal choice to express yourself, or in order to obtain medical services and treaments... in general I am opposed to labelling. Like you said.. a great guy is a great guy period.

[Ashi]

There are also a lot of people wrongly diagnosed with Autism or Asperger's. Don't always believe what your doctor says. Shy is not a crime. If Einstein was born today, he would be put into a special school instead of being recognized as a genius. If the symptom is just mild, like yours, Rilbur, I think it's better to just hang in group you're most comfortable with and see if things gets better. Sometimes it's just confidence issue.

 

I think this world is too aggressive. Politeness is a symptom of a supposed psychological condition? Shouldn't rudeness be the problem we have in this world? If there is nothing better to say, than silence is golden!

 

I used to know another online friend who also suffered from Asperger's, that's when I first became aware of the condition. He was a great kid! The last time I heard from him was his parents wanted him to interact with the real world and I bid him well. I wonder what happened to him now.

[Rilbur]

There are also a lot of people wrongly diagnosed with Autism or Asperger's. Don't always believe what your doctor says. Shy is not a crime. If Einstein was born today, he would be put into a special school instead of being recognized as a genius. If the symptom is just mild, like yours, Rilbur, I think it's better to just hang in group you're most comfortable with and see if things gets better. Sometimes it's just confidence issue.

 

There is a difference between mild and coping well. All I have to do is get into unfamiliar territory (like dating) and I collapse (usually I 'freeze, and just dont' move forward). I don't know the rules for dating; how do I ask someone out, where do we go, etc. etc. Things other people take for granted sometimes I slip on (I know to wrap Birthday and Christmas presents; I don't automatically apply that to graduation presents).

 

Yes, I'm functional... but only to a degree. And the fact that I know the rules intellectually but rather internally means I screw up with stuff easily, and with no clue how I did it.

[Nephylim]

There is a difference between mild and coping well. All I have to do is get into unfamiliar territory (like dating) and I collapse (usually I 'freeze, and just dont' move forward). I don't know the rules for dating; how do I ask someone out, where do we go, etc. etc. Things other people take for granted sometimes I slip on (I know to wrap Birthday and Christmas presents; I don't automatically apply that to graduation presents).

 

Yes, I'm functional... but only to a degree. And the fact that I know the rules intellectually but rather internally means I screw up with stuff easily, and with no clue how I did it.

 

 

How exciting. You don't know the rules so you get to make them up for yourself. Personally I have a lot of problems with 'games' I don't figure the rules either.... and I don't care. I make HUGE faux pas all the time and it makes me laugh. I laugh at funerals, cry at weddings, make up my own words to prayers at weddings and funerals... cry when someone compliments me and laugh if someone insults me.... and don't even get me started on dating. I have never been on a date NEVER... if by date you mean a rendezvous with a stranger. I was with my first husband from age 13 and we were together more than 15 years. We never 'dated' we were friends who ended up sleeping with each other and getting married. My second husband was also a good friend who just drifted into my bed and fifteen years later he is still my best friend even though we no longer live together. I have never had another boyfriend, never been on an actual date. Does that make me wierd? Good. Does it mean I have Aspergers... maybe but if so I like it. I like who I am. I like the way I am and I have no intention of ever changing.

[Ashi]

There is a difference between mild and coping well. All I have to do is get into unfamiliar territory (like dating) and I collapse (usually I 'freeze, and just dont' move forward). I don't know the rules for dating; how do I ask someone out, where do we go, etc. etc. Things other people take for granted sometimes I slip on (I know to wrap Birthday and Christmas presents; I don't automatically apply that to graduation presents).

 

Yes, I'm functional... but only to a degree. And the fact that I know the rules intellectually but rather internally means I screw up with stuff easily, and with no clue how I did it.

 

I'm not qualified to give proper suggestion in your case, but I think your doctor (if you're seeing one) would suggest there is no rule in some of the stuff. I don't know how to date either. If you read one of my threads, you'd know I would turn "ice queen" when I met someone I like. This is growing pain, and everyone goes through it in some form which I called it the modern rite of men. I know you have a more difficult time to deal with it than others, but please try to let go (some) of the rules. I'm very rule obsessive also by the way.... Such excellent sense of logic is both our strength and weakness.

 

I wonder if you have watched a movie called Ordinary People. Don't watch it when you're depressed, so be forewarned, though it can send a positive message. But let me tell you one segment that I think may apply. The main character (Conrad) told his psychiatrist he wanted to be more in control, his doctor said, "Why do you want to be in control?" Think about it. I know it's painful to be a perfectionist, because perfectionism is a flaw itself.

[Rilbur]

How exciting. You don't know the rules so you get to make them up for yourself.

 

You don't get it: without the rules, I freeze. I can't act. I dither. I become non-functional.

 

I'm not qualified to give proper suggestion in your case, but I think your doctor (if you're seeing one) would suggest there is no rule in some of the stuff.

 

Actually, yes there are. They're just internalized. Even I know most of those though... for example, you don't go down on someone within 5 seconds of starting the date. And you don't go straight for the kiss-with-tongue as as another example.

[Graeme]

You don't get it: without the rules, I freeze. I can't act. I dither. I become non-functional.

That sounds just like someone at another site I know who has Aspergers.

 

One of the symptoms he mentioned was the inability to summarise. Everything was important -- leaving off details feels wrong to him. It was that reason he asked some of us a few years ago to produce a small business-card sized summary of the condition so that in a stress situation they could show someone the card to explain what's going on.

 

The other thing is that no two Aspies are the same. They all have their unique characteristics, and there's no one attribute that is common to all people with Aspergers.

 

Thanks, James, for the article and link. It was very interesting

[Rilbur]

One of the symptoms he mentioned was the inability to summarise. Everything was important -- leaving off details feels wrong to him.

 

That matches me too! LOL

[Nephylim]

You don't get it: without the rules, I freeze. I can't act. I dither. I become non-functional.

 

 

 

Sorry hun... didn't mean to trivialise your condition.

[Rilbur]

I didn't take it as trivialization, just misinterpretation.

[Nephylim]

I didn't take it as trivialization, just misinterpretation.

 

 

Cool

[glomph]

All I have to do is get into unfamiliar territory (like dating) and I collapse (usually I 'freeze, and just dont' move forward). I don't know the rules for dating; how do I ask someone out, where do we go, etc. etc.

 

That's unusual? It seems to describe my teens and twenties pretty well. I thought we all started off like that, and most straight guys started getting over it by 17.

 

I do wrap gifts equally badly for all occasions, though.

[Rilbur]

I thought we all started off like that, and most straight guys started getting over it by 17.

 

I'm 25 and have yet to even start getting over said freeze.

 

That said, if you want a different example, how about condolences?

 

Other than simply saying "My condolences" or something similar over a loss, I don't know how to talk to someone in need of support. Listen, sure, (and occasionally ask helpful questions) but... there are times when all you want to do is call someone up, and give them a great big verbal hug and I can't. And my attempts are pathetic and awkward when I try.

[Nephylim]

I'm 25 and have yet to even start getting over said freeze.

 

That said, if you want a different example, how about condolences?

 

Other than simply saying "My condolences" or something similar over a loss, I don't know how to talk to someone in need of support. Listen, sure, (and occasionally ask helpful questions) but... there are times when all you want to do is call someone up, and give them a great big verbal hug and I can't. And my attempts are pathetic and awkward when I try.

 

 

Most people are pathetic and awkward when talking to someone who is in pain. NO ONE knows what to say. The fact that you do it at all means you're a sweet guy.

 

So you're a little different. Vive la difference